La. Police K-9 Dies while Helping to Track Down Suspects

A Louisiana police K-9 died Saturday while tracking down suspects after a vehicle chase.

Harrie, a Shreveport police K-9, and his handler, Sgt. Jeff Hammer, were helping officers locating suspects who fled on foot from a stolen vehicle following a pursuit, the department stated in a press release. While tracking down the suspects, Harrie suffered a heat-related injury.

The K-9 was taken to the an animal emergency clinic, but he died from his injuries. No details were released concerning the nature of the heat-related injury Harrie suffered.

A 7-year-old Belgian Malinois, Harrie had been with the force since January 2018. The dog had been one of the most sought after K-9s in the area, but that wasn't always the case, according to the department.

"At one point in his career, Harrie was thought to be a 'lost cause,' but Harrie was assigned to Sergeant Jeff Hammer, a long-time K9 handler and animal lover," the department stated. "With the help of the Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office K9 trainers, Sergeant Hammer turned Harrie into an exceptional K9 partner that began assisting in training other police K9s."